Much Ado about Nothing
by wegotthelove
Summary: Fate had different plans for one Adelina DeWolfe. Apparently, it didn't want her to enroll in the military in the twenty-first century. No, it seemingly wanted to strand her in the Civil War era as a certain Colonel's assistant. Robert/OC.
1. Floating in Dry Water

_So, this is what God must have been experiencing before he made the world_.

It was completely silent and dark, almost to the point of driving one insane. In any normal circumstance, I probably would have gone crazy by now, but for some reason, I felt awfully calm. My body felt like it was steadily sinking in water. I could feel my hair ballooning out around me, certain strands touching my skin.

I didn't think I was dead. I was breathing, and if I was dead, there would have been no reason to inhale and exhale. That meant that I was still alive, though, and I wasn't sure if I was even _that _anymore either. So, if I wasn't dead or alive, what did that _mean_? Wait, if I could _breathe_, then I wasn't underwater. If I wasn't underwater, then what was this?

My feet touched solid ground gently. My clothes settled around me, silky and soft on my skin. I distantly heard chattering and laughing, along with the clinking of dishes. The noise seemed so foreign after the long while in dimness and muteness. My eyelashes fluttered against my skin as I tried to clear my vision. Everything was a swirl of colors, my head whirling a bit throughout the confusion.

"Miss?" Someone – a man, I assumed – asked, and I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped away from the touch, gasping a little. The sounds grew louder, and finally, everything came together. As I took in my surroundings, everything seemed so much more complicated than just floating in nothingness.

I didn't remember entering a house; nor did I remember putting up this dress on. It was a pale golden color, along with a corset that was so tightly tied around my stomach that it restricted my breathing quite a bit. I reached up to touch my hair, just to make sure that it wasn't floating around. It seemed to be in a sort of fashion piled on the top of my head. My fingers ghosted towards the hair in tendrils around my face.

I glanced around, my eyes wide and my knees feeling about to give out from right underneath me. Everyone seemed to be talking amongst themselves, the women swishing in their skirts and smiling while the men, oddly proper, responded to the flirtatious smiles that were sent their way.

"Miss?" The same voice said again, this time a worried tone to it. I turned towards the man standing beside me, seemingly concerned. His gloved hand was still poised in the air, as if contemplating whether or not to try and touch my shoulder again.

"Are you all right?" The man asked, placing his hands behind his back. He seemed like a nice man, quite a bit older than me. His face had a few wrinkles on his face, signaling the first signs of aging.

"Yes, thank you." I replied, and once the sound was out of my mouth, I nearly choked. That was not my voice. I did _not _have a British accent. That much I knew.

"Sir, do you know where we are?" I asked nervously. _Sir? _Since when did I talk like this? This was not right, not right at all.

"Ah, yes." The man replied, gesturing for me to follow him. I did so, smiling politely at everyone who smiled at me, nodding at those who did so towards myself, also.

"We are at the Shaw residence, Miss…?" he trailed off in a question, looking at me expectantly. After skipping a beat, I realized he was asking for my name.

"DeWolfe." I said, surprised at how easily the surname rolled over my tongue. Was that really my name? It sounded so foreign, yet so familiar at the same time. I decided that it was, and the man nodded in approval.

"May I ask why we are at the Shaw residence?" I asked, and the man turned to look at me. The lines between his eyes were a bit more prominent, marking his misunderstanding.

"This gathering is for Robert coming home safely."

"Robert?"

"Robert Shaw." The man clarified, smiling at me warmly. "Their son."

"Where was he before this?" I felt horribly uninformed and puzzled. Nothing made sense. Surely, if I was should be here, this would have jogged my memory somewhat? The man was still smiling with a sort of pity in his eyes. It was obvious that he thought I was somewhat mental. Maybe I was. I knew I didn't belong here, but I couldn't quite place where I was supposed to be.

"He was at war, Miss DeWolfe." The man let out a chuckle, his eyes sparkling in what I could easily interpret as amusement.

"Oh, that's wonderful." I said absentmindedly, ignoring the strange glance that I got from the man. My eyes were watching another young man descend the spiral stairs. He seemed a bit older than me, maybe in his early twenties. His dark hair was combed, and his eyes were a deep brown, however, they seemed empty and he looked vaguely jumpy. I felt a rush of sympathy wash over me, as his gaze connected with mine. I smiled a little, and he returned the expression before continuing stepping down to floor-level.

"It seems you've already picked him out of the crowd." The man was smiling knowingly at me now, as if he knew exactly what was going through my mind.

"Excuse me," I whispered, touching the man's arm politely. He nodded and allowed me to walk away. When no one was watching, I made my escape. My mind was whirling again, and I knew that I needed to breathe. I slipped out the double-doors, stepping down the porch stairs. I slowly made my way towards the iron-bar fence.

I gripped the iron bars, staring out at nothingness. Why was this so hard to understand? All I really knew about myself now was that my last name was DeWolfe, I now had a British accent that I was _sure _was not there before, and that this was not my home. I wasn't even sure if this was my _era_.

"What year is it?" I mumbled to myself, trying desperately still to make sense of all this. It was either a very elaborate prank, or an incredibly realistic dream, I finally decided.

"1861." A voice answered from behind me. I let out a little shriek, whipping around to look at the new arrival. To my surprise, it was Robert. He looked like he was about to be sick, but tried to smile at me graciously all the same.

"Excuse me?" I blinked at him, trying to calm my speeding heart. I really didn't know why I was so jumpy; the only reason I could think of was that I was simply in an unfamiliar environment.

"The year," Robert explained, walking over to stand beside me. His gloved hands reached out to grab the iron bars, mirroring my stance. "is 1861."

"Oh," I replied faintly before I really realized what he said. "_Oh, _no."

He side-glanced at me and his eyes seemed dance with amusement. I was happy that I was able to entertain him, even if it _was _at my own expense. "You seem a bit distressed," he observed. "Did I startle you?"

"Yes, a bit." I admitted, letting a sheepish smile form on my features. His own grin grew wider at my expression, and it no longer seemed forced. Whatever had been bothering him, I seemed to have gotten it off of his mind, even if it was momentarily.

"I apologize, Miss...My God, how rude of me. I haven't even gotten your name."

He cocked his head at me in a question, and I began to panic a little. I wracked my mind for an acceptable answer, when finally, a name popped up.

"Adelina DeWolfe, sir." I did somewhat of a bow-slash-curtsy, trying to conceal the wide beam on my face. I knew my name. _That was my name. _Oh, hallelujah! A few pieces of the puzzle had finally fit themselves together.

"Please, call me Robert." Robert seemed very entertained by talking to me, and I felt a blush color my cheeks. I must have been making a complete fool of myself. Here I was, speaking to some man who was obviously very influential in this time – or, at least, was from a very influential family - or else no one would have cared had he returned from war or not, and he was probably thinking how silly I was.

"Robert." I repeated quietly, returning my gaze away from him. I heard him sigh and shift positions from foot to foot, and I knew that whatever had been troubling him was back in his mind and agitating him even more. I took a deep breath before deciding to intervene.

"Robert?" I turned back towards him. He met my stare, raising his eyebrows in a bit of a question. "Are you all right?"

"Yes." Robert answered automatically. He looked down at his hands that were still holding the fence. He released his death-hold and flattened his palms against the outside of his thighs before sighing and turning back towards me. "Actually, no."

I was silent, avoiding his gaze because I wasn't sure how to respond. Was I supposed to egg him on, or would that have been considered rude? Was I supposed to just let it go, or would that have been conceived as impolite, also? So, instead of saying anything, I just looked at him searchingly. If he didn't want to talk about it any longer, that was fine.

"I've been promoted to colonel," he took a deep breath before continuing. "of the 54th Massachusetts Infantry."

"That's wonderful." I beamed at him, but the expression faltered when I saw him smile weakly at the trees in front of him. "Isn't it?"

"Yes." Robert confirmed quietly, swallowing thickly and staring straight ahead as if determined to not make eye-contact with me. "It is to be the first colored regiment."

He glanced at me then, as if expecting me to run away screaming. I just looked at him blankly, letting my eyelashes flutter to communicate my confusion.

"A regiment is a unit of one-thousand soldiers." Robert explained, as if he believed that was what I didn't understand.

"I am aware of that, thank you very much," I snapped, a little offended that he believed I was really so incompetent as to not know what a regiment was. Robert seemed taken aback, and hastily I added, "sir."

Robert blinked a few times, stunned at my sharp answer. Then, he smirked. "I apologize." He said softly. Before I could answer, we heard footsteps approaching, and Robert turned towards the intruder. It was another man, a few inches taller than Robert. His dirty hair was matted to his forehead, and his grin seemed drunk, the bottle of wine confirming my suspicions. The clothing he wore was ruffled and messy, and his bow-tie was loosely tied around his neck.

"What's the matter, Robert? Too much punch?" The man asked, laughing as if that was the most hilarious thing in the world. Robert chuckled nervously, before shifting away from the man. The smile had suddenly turned forced on his face. I nearly choked at the smell of alcohol on the man's breath, but I simply coughed. That caught the man's attention, and he smiled at me.

"Hello, there, Princess."

"Hello." I replied politely, nodding at him in acknowledgement.

"Who might this be?" The man asked Robert, his speech very obviously slurred now. "She's quite gorgeous."

I ducked my head to hide my blush, and Robert chuckled again at my bashfulness. "This is Adelina DeWolfe," Robert introduced me, smiling widely. "Adelina? This…_strapping _young man -" he winked at me then, and I bit back a laugh. "- is Cabot."

"I prefer Forbes, actually. You should know that." Forbes teased Robert before holding out a hand for me to shake. I took his firmly, and Forbes seemingly lost interest in me. He faced Robert again, and the two began to talk about the regiment. My mind wandered elsewhere, until I heard Robert say, "My mother is insisting that I have someone help me."

This sparked my interest, and I tuned back into the conversation, blinking once. I could be good at helping. Besides, it was a war. I'd always wanted to be in the military, hadn't I?

_I'd always wanted to be in the military_. The thought occurred to me, making my heart soar. I had remembered that I'd always wanted to be in the military. Yet another piece in the metaphorical puzzle of my previous life fit together, but the riddle was still very far from being solved.

Forbes put on a shocked face, slapping his hand on his chest in a joking manner. "What about _me? _I am perfectly capable of being at your aide, Colonel Shaw."

"Not if you're always drunk, you're not." Robert laughed as a genuinely puzzled expression crossed his friend's face.

"Robert?" I said suddenly, calling all attention to me. Forbes and Robert looked at me curiously, and I swallowed nervously, clasping my hands together. "I'd like to be your assistant, if you'll permit it."

The words scrambled out of my mouth and I immediately wished to take them back as the two men faced me, all signs of joking lost. The silence was deafening. Robert's mouth dropped open in a very ungentlemanly way, and Forbes placed his hand under the shorter man's jaw to close it, but he too looked quite shocked, his sea-colored eyes wide.

"You're not serious, are you?" Forbes asked. "Princess, I'm not sure if you are aware of this, but there is a war going on at the moment."

"I am perfectly aware of that, thank you very much. I am not as incompetent as you seem to think, you know." I said sharply. Forbes seemed to like this reaction, and he smirked.

"I don't believe that you are ready for a soldier's life, Princess." Forbes chuckled.

"Well, I'm not going to be on the battlefield, now, am I, _sir_?" I pointed out, spitting out the title as if it were a horrible insult. "I'll be Robert's assistant – unless, of course, you are envious of someone else consuming all his attention?"

Forbes' smirk grew wider, and he clapped Robert on the back. "I like her, Rob." He declared. "You should agree to have her be your aide. I'm sure that it would be pleasant having her around."

The shorter man's eyelids blinked once, then twice, as if he really wasn't sure what to say. He looked at me, then back at Forbes in uncertainty.

"Miss DeWolfe," he said, his dark eyes trained on me. "are you positively sure that you want to join us? The army is hardly any place for –"

"A woman?" I replied. "Or, as Forbes so kindly put it, a _princess?_"

Forbes choked back a laugh.

"With all due respect, if I'm not able to fight because of my _gender, _I would like to be able to do _something_ to assist you." With an afterthought, I quickly added, "Sir."

Robert nodded slowly, not saying anything for a while. I watched him intently. Forbes had once again lost interest in me, and his eyes were now trailing a brightly-colored butterfly as it fluttered in disorganized patterns. Finally, the dark-haired man sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly.

"If you're positive –"

"I am."

"Then it's settled." Robert said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Miss DeWolfe, we depart for camp tomorrow at dawn. Do not be late."

With that, he turned on his heel and stalked away, leaving me to bask in the glory of finally living my dream.

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><p><strong>oh, i must say, i am really excited about this story. normally, i do love triangles, and i may or may not do that in this story. anyways, i do hope you enjoyed reading this! please review, it'll make my day. <strong>

**if you don't mind me asking, what was your favorite line from the chapter? favorite part? **

**also; how do you think i portrayed robert and forbes? i know most stories portray robert as serious and worried and forbes the exact opposite, so i tried to do that. **

**please, please, _please _review. **


	2. Second Thoughts

The sun had just begun to creep up over the horizon, painting the morning skies in brilliant, rosy pinks. I swallowed, watching the sky, and my hand subconsciously went to smooth my dress. It was quite different from the one I had worn the night before, as it was much thinner, and settled on my body, unlike the ridiculous hoop-skirt. I wasn't forced to wear a corset, either, and the dress was a deep blue color.

Forbes was to the left of me, looking much like he would like to fall asleep right then and there. He was dressed in his uniform, a dark jacket, pants, and boots, along with a cap on his head. He was leaning on one of the numerous horses beside us, his head resting on its body. His eyes began to close shut, so I tapped his shoulder. He jerked, and opened one eye in annoyance.

"Yes, Princess?" he said, the irritation obvious in his voice.

"You were falling asleep, _Cabot_." I replied, trying desperately not to smirk at his expense. Forbes wasn't the only one who had to wake up early, but I was channeling my early-morning crankiness into frustrating Forbes.

"I am not in the mood for childish jokes this early in the morning." Forbes snarled. "So, if you will _please _allow me to get some sleep, it would be greatly appreciated."

"Your nap won't be very comfortable standing up." I pointed out in mild amusement. Forbes just stared at me for a while before letting out a sound that sounded much a growl. I watched as he slowly sunk himself down onto the grass below, and then lay down, covering his face with his cap. Just as he did so, however, Robert walked up to us. "Forbes?"

Forbes squinted up towards the man standing beside me. He sighed before slowly getting up, sticking his cap back on the top of his head where it belonged. Forbes saluted Robert, and Robert saluted back, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"Good morning, Adelina." He nodded in recognition, and I did so back to him. Robert's gaze lingered on me for a second longer, before he faced the dirty-blonde man beside me.

"Dare I ask, what were you doing on the ground?" Robert asked, folding his hands behind his back. Forbes' signature smirk returned.

"You see, Rob, I was trying to sleep on my horse," Forbes explained. Robert's eyebrows shot up. "but Miss DeWolfe reminded me that standing up while trying to sleep wouldn't be comfortable, and that inspired me to sleep on the ground instead."

Robert was quiet, his face hard and stony, all signs of his smile vanished. Forbes' smirk soon faded off of his own face, and he looked at his friend understandingly. It took me a while to comprehend, but I finally realized that Robert wasn't really in the joking mood. Maybe it was the nerves.

"I expect that you know how to ride a horse?" Robert turned towards me suddenly, his hand stroking the horse beside him. My eyes widened. For some reason, despite the fact that I was standing right beside many horses, it had never occurred to me that I would have to actually get _on _the horse and ride.

"I have to…?" I trailed off, stepping back a few times, my eyes shifting to look at the horse warily. No way was I getting on _that_. It was huge, and the beast was stomping its hooves on the ground in indignation. Surely, it would throw me off the first chance it got.

"My God, Princess." Forbes let out a loud laugh. "You are to accompany us to _war_, and you can't even ride a horse?"

"Forbes," Robert said warningly, casting Forbes a scolding look. Forbes immediately fell silent, even though I knew some snide comments were itching to spill themselves out of his mouth.

"I _can _ride a horse, thank you very much." I stuck my nose in the air haughtily, knowing that Forbes was just dying with amusement inside. "I just prefer not to."

"Are you frightened of them?" Robert asked and for a moment, I could detect the sympathy in his voice. I opened my mouth to lie, to say 'absolutely not' or something of that context, but the animal's snort and tossing of the mane stopped me. Instead, I swallowed.

"Yes." I said quietly, hanging my head again. Forbes looked at me skeptically, as if he thought I was lying. I blinked at him innocently, my cheeks heating up with the embarrassment of my confession.

"You're not serious, are you?" Forbes asked bluntly. "Rob, if she's afraid of a silly horse-"

Robert spoke then, cutting across Forbes complaint and his eyes watching me intently.

"If it would be of any comfort, you may ride on the back of my horse." He offered, making Forbes' laugh and wiggle his eyebrows suggestively, his incredulity immediately replaced by a sort of happiness. I cast him a sharp look, but he was still grinning wickedly.

"Is that safe, Robert?" I questioned meekly, taking another step back and studying the four-legged creature. It snorted again, causing me to jump a little.

"I'm sure it is." Robert replied briskly, gripping the reigns and hoisting himself up onto the horse in one fluid motion. Forbes, still smirking, bowed dramatically and motioned towards the animal. I swallowed, my throat suddenly feeling remarkably like sawdust. Forbes was still grinning so widely that I was sure that his cheeks would split.

"Well, Adelina," Forbes nodded towards Robert. "get on. We don't have all day."

Silently cursing the cocky blonde man, I stepped tentatively towards the horse. Robert extended a hand, and I gripped it tightly. I was mentally preparing myself to actually get _on _the horse when I felt a pair of strong arms encircle my waist and lift my entire body off of the ground. I didn't even have time to scream because in those few moments, because then Robert used that opportunity to pull me up towards the saddle. I somehow ended up behind him, both of my legs on one side of the horse. My heart was pounding and threatening to jump out of my throat, and I felt my eyes widen in fear.

"Now, that wasn't so hard, was it, Princess?" Forbes looked on the verge of laughing, but one glare from Robert quieted him. I was still partly in shock, so I didn't answer. Robert, in turn, glanced at me.

"All right, there, Miss DeWolfe?" he asked, his eyebrows furrowing in either disgust or concern. I managed a nod, slowly releasing his arm. I thought I saw a little half-smile form on his mouth, but he turned back to Forbes before I could be sure. "Are you ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be, Colonel Sir." Forbes joked, pulling himself onto his own horse easily and winking at me. "I'm sure the men have assembled by now."

Robert nodded, and with a flick of the reigns the horse started forward. I let out a little gasp at the abrupt burst of speed, and I grabbed Robert's arm again.

"Miss DeWolfe, I won't be able to steer with you clutching onto my arm like that." Robert said, not unkindly but still a bit sharply. I immediately let go, my cheeks reddening like the morning sky. Forbes raised an eyebrow at Robert.

"Well, she has to hold onto _something_, or she'll fall off." He pointed out. "Then you'll be short an assistant."

"What exactly are you suggesting, Forbes?" Robert snapped, his voice sounding a bit on the annoyed side, making Forbes smirk. Robert's horse stomped the ground impatiently, jolting me a little. I gasped a little, biting my tongue to keep from screaming. The metallic taste of blood ran through my teeth, forcing me to unclench my jaw.

"I am _suggesting _that she hold you somewhere other than your arm." Forbes deadpanned, his face completely serious. "Possibly your shoulders or your waist."

Robert spluttered a little, trying to form a comprehendible sentence, but failing rather badly. Forbes blinked at us innocently.

"It was merely a proposal." Forbes said nonchalantly. "If you are uncomfortable with that, she could always ride behind me."

At that, he gave me a wink, causing me to flush again, but I gently tapped Robert's shoulder. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd rather stay on your horse."

"Seems that she's taken a liking to you, Robert." Forbes snickered, his sea-colored eyes flickering in pleasure. I was the one who glared at him that time as I wrapped my arms around Robert's waist tentatively. Robert stiffened under my touch, but didn't say a word.

"Do you have a tight enough hold on him, Princess?" Forbes teased, making me wonder exactly why he was getting so much enjoyment out of tormenting me. Robert flicked the reigns, and we were off, Forbes' horse trotting beside us.

"Forbes, are you envious?" I countered. I felt Robert's chuckle at that, and I bit back a smile at Forbes' surprised face.

"Of whom would I be envious? Not Robert, surely. I know I could get your arms around me at any time." Forbes stated, the corners of his mouth twitching up into an arrogant grin. I shrugged nonchalantly.

"I assumed you would be jealous of Robert, actually, as you wish to be in _his_ place at the moment." I retorted, my arms tightening around Robert's waist as the horse began to pick up speed. "However, now that you have denied that, I take it that you are bitter towards me?"

"And why would that be, Princess?" Forbes cocked his head, one eyebrow raised in mock interest.

"Well, you hope to be in _my _place, holding onto Robert, wouldn't you?" I said finally, getting much enjoyment out of Forbes' wide eyes and Robert's quaking shoulders. I smiled at Forbes innocently. He opened his mouth as if to retort, but then closed it again.

"Forbes, quite frankly, I agree with you." Robert said once he had stopped laughing. "It _is _a pleasure to have Miss DeWolfe around."

* * *

><p>About an hour later, we had ridden into camp. Forbes had, eventually, gotten tired of our banter, and had galloped in front of us. I looked around at the swarm of African-American men, who were staring at Robert and I. A few of them jeered and snickered. Forbes noticed us, and as the drummer boys assembled and began to play their beat, he shouted out, "Pre-sent, <em>arms<em>!"

I wasn't sure what that meant, exactly, but Robert and I began to slowly make our way around the crowd. They smirked and laughed.

"How d'we look, Colonel?" one asked, in a bit of a taunting manner. The rest of his sentence was lost on me, because I didn't even understand a word he said. Robert ignored the jeers, but I felt him stiffen again. Others had begun to yell at Robert, asking when they would get the uniforms and when they would be able to fight. Robert just stared at them calculatingly, not saying a word.

My eyes landed on one man. He looked oddly proper and was wearing glasses, and I knew that I would like him. I was sure that his situation was like mine and no one thought either of us had a place in the war. He smiled brightly up at Robert, but from what I could tell; Robert didn't do anything to acknowledge him. I watched as the man's smile faded as we passed, so I gave him a small smile myself. He seemed happy with that, and his grin reappeared almost immediately.

Another man nodded at Robert, and this time, Robert nodded back. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to do, so I let my head bow down, too. The man seemed amused, and he nodded once more.

We finally reached Forbes, who was once again smirking at us. A large cigar was hanging out of his mouth and Robert saluted him. "Morning," he mumbled, and Forbes saluted back.

"Major Forbes, if you will help Miss DeWolfe off of the horse?"

"I would be absolutely _delighted_, Colonel." Forbes said, winking once at me. I suddenly felt extremely vulnerable as I slowly released Robert's waist for the first time in over an hour. Forbes stepped down from the podium he was standing on with a few other men.

"Don't you _dare _let me fall, Forbes." I growled under my breath, glaring down at him. Forbes put on an extremely shocked face.

"And _why_ would I let you fall, Princess?" he smirked dangerously, opening his arms mockingly. The fall suddenly seemed very far (even though it couldn't have been more than five or six feet) and I held my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut and let myself slide out of the saddle. I yelped, and the next thing I felt was dirt embedding itself into my mouth. I groaned, slowly pushing myself up into a sitting position.

Forbes and Robert were staring at me, wearing similar expressions of amusement. Robert seemed a bit stunned, though, while Forbes was looking up at the sky while trying desperately not to laugh. Glaring at the blonde man who had let me fall, I stood up angrily, brushing myself off. The recruits and officers were tittering amongst themselves, most trying desperately to hide their snickers while a few laughed out loud.

"Are you all right?" Forbes gasped out into my ear, as if it took all his effort and breath to avoid laughing. I scowled at him sourly, and he chuckled. "I'm sorry, Princess, it was an honest mistake."

"Yes, thank you for catching me, Major." I snapped, sarcastically dipping down into an overly-exaggerated curtsy. "What a gentleman."

The other officers had been watching us were chuckling amongst themselves. Forbes' scowled a bit, and to shut them up, he bellowed, "Atten-_tion_!"

The recruits in front of us quieted, even though they now all wore broad smiles on their faces. Robert looked around at them before speaking. "Good morning, gentlemen! I am Robert Gould Shaw, your commanding officer."

I half-glanced at Forbes, who looked like he was on the verge of bursting into laughter. Had Robert even _prepared _for this?

"It is a pleasure to see you all here today," the recruits stared at him, a somewhat bored expression on their faces. Robert blinked nervously.

"It is my hope that the same courage, spirit, and honor that has brought us here together will one day restore this Union."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Forbes nodding in agreement. I turned my attention back to the crowd, trying to find the man whom I had smiled at earlier. My eyes found him, and he was nodding and smiling encouragingly. Robert seemed a bit more poised now, and he ended with a loud, "May God bless us all!"

The recruits cheered and whooped. Robert had a look of relief on his face, but he managed a smile. One of the officers that had been laughing at me earlier said, "Form companies?"

Robert nodded. "We will commence with forming companies!"

This was Forbes' cue. "Company officers take charge!"

Various white men maneuvered their way into the crowd, screaming orders and pushing the recruits around. Forbes attempted to ignore this, and he spoke loudly, his cigar wiggling in his mouth with every word, "You recruits will report to your respective officers by the letter of your company in alphabetical order, which is in the top left corner," he picked up a sheet, pointing at it calmly despite the chaos in front of him. "of your muster sheet!"

I stared at the crowd in a form of awe and horror. The men were still bellowing, and trying to fight against the others pushing against them. It was simply tumultuous. Robert was staring at them with helplessness, probably debating whether or not to calm them. He apparently decided against it, and turned away. I exchanged a glance with Forbes, who also looked somewhat disturbed at the happenings in front of us.

One of the officers, a tall man with dark, unforgiving eyes, sidled up beside me, "Better get used to it." He snarled into my ear, causing chills to run up my spine, but I still looked straight forward. "This is how war is. They don't even have their guns yet."

The horror of the truth of his words sunk in, and I swallowed as he walked away. Forbes had joined me now, "Having second thoughts, Princess?"

I opened my mouth to reply, but no words came out. He looked at me knowingly before uttering two simple words, "Me too."

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><strong>thank you to those who reviewed, favorited, and alerted! which lines did you like best? :) <strong>

**review, please. **


	3. Miracle

If there was one thing that Forbes was good at (besides being fluent in sarcasm), it was definitely arguing. My ears _were_ ringing from the crowd's insistent yelling and the utter _chaos, _but now, Forbes' voice was definitely a factor in my now-aching head. It had been nearly an hour of Forbes and I going back and forth, and he seemed nowhere near giving up the argument.

"Forbes, I am _not _getting on that horse!" I exclaimed, pointing a shaky finger at the animal in front of me. It _did _seem a lot calmer than Robert's, but it was a horse all the same. It bothered me how afraid I was of them, but I couldn't remember why.

"You must." Forbes snapped. He obviously was getting rather irritated with me, after arguing with me for several minutes. I bristled at his declaration, standing straight up and looking him in the eye.

"And why would that be, Major?" I snarled, making Forbes roll his eyes.

"After the spectacle you two caused riding in here, I really don't believe that Colonel Shaw will allow you to ride on the back of his horse again." He said bluntly, stroking the black horse beside him. "The others already doubt his power."

"What?"

"Having a colored regiment is one thing, Princess," Forbes explained. "But having a woman assist him…" He trailed off, looking at the horse. "I'm not saying that Robert will send you back home –" At this, I swallowed. If only I could remember where my home was. "-but it certainly wouldn't hurt riding your own horse."

I glared at Forbes. For all he knew, riding my own horse _could _hurt.

"Hername is Miracle." Forbes continued absentmindedly, scratching Miracle's neck affectionately. "She wouldn't hurt a flea, I promise you."

"My God, Forbes, if you're lying to me…" I warned him, leaving the last part off as an implied threat. Forbes laughed, ignoring the occasional shout still emitting from the crowd. It _had _quieted down a bit, and the recruits were now attempting to get into lines by their letter company.

"I swear on my life, Miss DeWolfe, I am not lying." Forbes said, momentarily catching me by surprise at my surname rather than 'Princess.' He was serious and his eyes sincere, but I was still a bit suspicious. Forbes sighed, rubbing his eyes tiredly. "If it will make you feel any more comfortable I'll even hold the reigns and lead your horse."

That did sound a bit safer. Even though my mind was screaming at me to disagree, I sighed also. "All right." I mumbled, walking closer to the horse. It didn't seem half as scared as I did, but stared at me with huge eyes.

"Fantastic." Forbes breathed in relief. "Now, just grab onto the reigns…" he waited until I had done so before continuing. "…And put your foot right here in the stirrup…Then, just pull yourself up."

Silently repeating the directions in my mind and my hands shaking in terror, I managed to lift my entire body onto the saddle of the horse, so that I was sitting side-saddle. Miracle barely even moved; she just shifted a bit to make herself more comfortable. I felt beam form on my lips. It was so wide that it actually hurt my cheeks, but I just grinned down at Forbes.

"Did you see that, Major?" I crowed. Forbes laughed, nodding his head. "I'm on my own horse!"

"Are you able to ride it by yourself?"

The smile immediately vanished from my face, and I shook my head urgently. Forbes smirked at my aghast face. "Absolutely not!" I exclaimed loudly, startling Miracle a little. She snorted indignantly and tossed her head, stomping the ground. I swallowed, gripping the reigns tightly. To my horror, Miracle began to trot forward alongside the seemingly endless line of African Americans. Many of them looked up at me curiously as I passed. Someone yelled, "For-ward, _march_!" and then they were off, walking along beside me, still gazing at me incredulously.

I felt my fingernails digging into my palms; that's how tightly I was gripping the reigns. "Forbes!" I managed, even though the horse couldn't have been going any faster than a walk. I heard a few of the officers chuckling again, but at the moment, I feared tremendously for my life so I didn't pay much attention to their laughter.

_My God, Miracle is going to throw me off the first chance she gets!_

"FORBES!"

"Calm down, Princess." I heard him laugh. I briefly turned my head, watching the dirt billow up as Forbes' horse trotted quickly to catch up to me. Miracle snorted, tossing her head and making a sharp turn to her left. Forbes' hand shot out and grabbed my hand, guiding it so that the horse was walking straight once again.

"I – _you need to take the reigns right now so I don't fall off and die_!" I shrieked suddenly, my own palms shaking in fear. The man whom I had smiled at earlier – the one with the glasses – looked up at me in curiosity and what I was sure was amusement. A worn-out book was in his hand, and he placed it at his side for a moment.

"Forbes, is she all right?" he asked, blinking once. Forbes smirked before nodded.

"Oh, she's fine, Thomas." Forbes replied, waving a dismissive hand. "It's just the shock and bliss of coming to war with a group of dapper young men like us that's getting to her."

I snorted and the fear of cracking my head open momentarily vanished. "Don't be so arrogant, Forbes. It's not very attractive."

"I'm not _arrogant_," Forbes said, a look of mock-horror on his face. "I'm simply speaking the truth."

Thomas snorted loudly. When Forbes shot him a look, he immediately busied himself with the book again. It was then that I realized how far I was off the ground, and the feeling that I had to puke settled in my stomach. Forbes seemed to notice my pale face, and he rolled his eyes.

"It's been nearly a full five minutes and you haven't broken your back yet." Forbes pointed out. "That has to be a good sign, doesn't it?"

"If I die it'll be on your conscience." I reminded him shakily. Forbes glared at me a moment before riding ahead of me in spite.

"Wait! Forbes! FORBES!"

"Miss DeWolfe!" Another voice exclaimed from behind me, causing me to whip my head towards the direction of the sound. It was Robert, who was watching me with a mixture of alarm, horror, and fury. That wasn't a good combination of emotions, was it?

"If you would please stop shouting like that, it would be appreciated." Robert spat angrily. I blinked at him once. What was his problem? Did he _not _realize how terrified I was?

"It's just a horse, for God's sake. How are the others supposed to take me seriously when I have you – a _woman _– as my assistant, and she can't even ride a horse?" At the last part, he seemed to be talking more to himself than me, but it stung all the same. I noticed Thomas watching us out of the corner of his eye, pretending to be reading his book, said book at eye-level.

"Robert –"

"You will address me as 'Colonel' or 'Sir,' do you understand?" Robert retorted. I stared at him, my mouth agape. Who did he think he was? Oh, right…he was the colonel.

"_Do you understand?_" He snapped sharply, causing me to close my mouth and nod bitterly.

"Yes _sir_." I growled. Thomas was now very obviously looking at us, and he too looked both confused and stunned. Robert nodded curtly, and he rode away. I couldn't help but notice how graceful he looked as his horse galloped further and further.

"He's just stressed." Thomas said helpfully. "He's not usually like this, Miss."

"I understand." I nodded slowly, even though I really didn't. He was so nice before, but now he was simply a jerk. _Jerk? _What in the world was a jerk? It must have been slang from where ever – or _whene_ver, for that matter – I was from.

Thomas went back to reading, and I went back to desperately praying that Miracle wouldn't buck me off of her back. Forbes had returned to my side (somewhat guiltily), and was now quietly guiding me which way to pull the reigns in order to control my horse.

"G-good book, brother?" I heard one lone voice stutter, and I immediately looked down, smiling softly at the man below me. He was attempting to strike up a conversation with Thomas, who looked up from his book and grinned politely.

"Yes it is, actually." Thomas admitted, putting the book under his arm so he could shake the other man's hand. "Name's Searles, Thomas Searles."

"Jupiter Sharts." Jupiter shook his hand firmly. "What it about, that book?"

For some reason, the smile on my face got a bit bigger. Something about Jupiter just made me feel a mixture of pity and something like admiration.

"It's a collection of essays. Fourier, Emerson, all of the transcendentalists." Thomas explained, glancing at me with a smile of his own. I, however, felt completely bewildered. Thomas might as well have been speaking a foreign language, because I honestly didn't understand a single word he said. Jupiter, however, nodded, grinning brightly as if he knew exactly what a transcendetalist was.

"It got pictures?"

I had to stifle a giggle at that one, for the sake of Jupiter. He cast me a confused look, the smile still on his face. Thomas chuckled too, as if he thought Jupiter was joking. With one quick look to his companion, Thomas knew that it was quite the opposite and shook his head with a still-amused, "No."

"You teach me?" Jupiter asked, pointing to the book hopefully. It sort of broke my heart, how he was so eager to learn something that grown men already should have known. That was how it was where I was from, at least.

"Yes, I'd be happy to." Thomas replied. Jupiter seemed elated with this answer, and he nodded again, a beam on his face. He turned to the man on the other side of him and said, "You hear that? I'm gonna learn to read!"

I exchanged a glance with Forbes, who seemed on the verge of laughed. He opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off by a loud, obnoxious voice. "Look at what's walking in here!"

At the exact same time, Forbes and I turned to stare at the source. A rough-looking man, lounging along the porch of a cabin was smirking. I hadn't even noticed that we were passing through another camp. I swallowed and suddenly had the urge to pee, but I didn't think that Miracle would like that very much.

"Getting dark mighty early 'round here!" Another bellowed, much to the amusement of the goons with him. I felt my eyes narrow. Did they really have nothing else better to do than torment these poor men?

"I'd rather have a hog than a nigger!"

My grip tightened again, my fingernails making crescent moon-shaped marks in my palms. Jupiter bowed his head and avoided anyone's gaze. The man in front of them – Rawlins, I believed his name was – turned around and gave him a sad smile. Thomas just stared right ahead, his face blank.

"_At least you can eat the hog_!" The man finished, bursting into a round of laughter. Forbes didn't seem pleased by this remark, but he didn't say a word. Up ahead, I noticed that Robert had frozen and his horse had halted, but he was too far away for me to read his expression.

"Well, look here, boys!" The first man roared, jutting his chin out towards me. I felt my spine stiffen, and my palms began to sweat. Forbes shot me a look as if to silently remind me to ignore them, but still, the man's voice seeped into my mind.

"They've even got a lady with them!"

I could see now that Robert was looking directly at me, but his expression was still too far away for me to be able to grasp.

"Hey, why don't you get off that horse and keep _us _company 'stead of those nigs over there?"

Jupiter was now also staring at me, his eyes wide in horror. I watched as Forbes' jaw clenched and unclenched, his eyes fighting to stay pointed ahead instead of staring at the foul-mouthed man.

"_We'll _be able to give you a better time than them!"

My hands began to shake, half in fear and half in anger. Pigs. Stupid, evil, dirty pigs.

"Whaddya say?"

"Don't say a word, Adelina." Forbes growled lowly, struggling to stay calm himself. "They're not worth it."

Even Miracle seemed a bit cross, and she tossed her head and let out an indignant neigh. Forbes reached over to calm her so I wouldn't scream.

"You have a gun on you, don't you?" I whispered back when he was close enough. "Can't you shoot them?"

Forbes shot me another look. "No." he said shortly, pulling back onto his own horse, and I sighed. The men were guffawing amongst themselves and I desperately wanted to go over there and punch the sneers right off their faces.

"Soldiers are always going to be like that," he continued, apparently noticing the look on my face. "Especially white soldiers. _Especially _towards this regiment."

That was understandable. "Because they're black?" I asked meekly, even though I knew the answer. Forbes didn't even respond, he just cast me a sad-eyed look. We rode in silence for the rest of the journey. There was just so much left to say – and yet, at the same time, there was nothing at all.

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><p><strong>oh, yay! third chaper! <strong>**thank you so much to those who reviewed and such! you guys are amazing. i'm so happy you guys are enjoying this story!**

**again, what were your favorite lines? parts? did it seem too sudden that adelina was suddenly able to ride her own horse? don't worry, this will all be explained later on in the story. **

**also; you will probably notice that as adelina begins to remember more, the way she talks and thinks will become more modern. it is too early for that to happen, though. just a heads up. **

**review, review like the wind! **


	4. Roommates

The view of the sunset at camp was breathtaking to say the least. It painted the sky to be the color of fire. I was sure that the clouds would ignite at any minute; but it only would have added to the brilliance of the sky. I wasn't the only one entranced with the sight, though; Forbes had joined me several minutes ago to watch the sun dip over the horizon. Even Miracle seemed appreciative of the sunset; she didn't even seem to mind the fact that I was _still _on her back even though we had successfully arrived. I refused to get off by Forbes' hand, though, because it hadn't worked out so well the last time.

We had gotten to camp at least a half-hour before dusk, but the men were still frantically attempting to assign the recruits to their tents. Forbes was _supposed _to be helping the officers; but apparently had given up long ago. He was now by my side, scratching Miracle's neck affectionately. She seemed to enjoy that a lot and she pushed her snout towards his hand. Forbes smiled, rubbing her nose instead. Miracle lazily closed her eyes, a content sigh emitting from her.

"You have a way with animals, Major." I observed, a smile gracing my own features at the sight. It was the first time either of us had said anything. Forbes nodded, glancing up at me momentarily before turning his attention back to the horse.

"I just have a way with Miracle, actually," he admitted. "I've known her for a while now. She was my first horse." His voice took on a tone of laughter. "You know, he – Robert, I mean – used to tease me that Miracle would be the only woman who would ever love me."

"That's sweet." I declared, tilting my head, causing Forbes to raise his eyebrow up at me. "Cabot has a soft side. He really does have a heart after all."

Forbes looked up at me again, a mock-serious expression on his face. "First of all, _never _call me Cabot." I nodded feverishly and shot him a teasing salute. "Secondly, you are not to repeat anything that you have heard; and thirdly, I do in fact have a heart, but I may have to kill you now that you know."

"Oh, woe is me." I gasped dramatically, placing the back of my hand on my forehead. Forbes cracked a smile at that, but before he could retort (and I knew he was about to because he had that glint in his eye), another man halted in front of us. He was young – older than me but seemed to be around Forbes' age – with a handsome face and dark hair. His hazel eyes flickered nervously, shifting from Forbes to me.

"Cabot – er, Major?" He stumbled a bit over Forbes' title, causing Forbes to drop his hands from Miracle's nose and turn towards the newcomer. The two saluted solemnly, and I debated briefly whether or not I should do the same. Miracle huffed irritably, trying to get Forbes' attention again.

"Yes, Charlie?" Forbes replied effortlessly, seemingly at ease compared to the man – Charlie, I assumed his name was. Charlie swallowed, wringing his hands together anxiously, stealing a glance at me. Forbes noticed this and snorted, "For God's sake, Charlie, she isn't going to have you beheaded because you are in her presence. She's just a woman."

Charlie flushed deeply at this, but nodded curtly, placing his palms stiffly at his sides.

Charlie, do you know Adelina?" Forbes asked suddenly, motioning towards me.

"I've heard about her but we haven't personally met." Charlie admitted, smiling a bit shyly up at me. He seemed different from the other men; he wasn't against meeting me but wasn't quite sure how to treat a woman in the regiment.

"Is that so?" Forbes said, blinking innocently. "Wouldn't you prefer to _properly _meet her while she is at ground level?"

I wasn't quite sure where Forbes was going with this, but I glared at him all the same. Charlie seemed confused, but he glanced at Forbes and cautiously replied, "I suppose?"

"Right," Forbes smirked at me. "Adelina, would you be a lady and get down from your horse so you can greet Charlie?" He knew that I was still a bit cross with him for letting me fall, and this was either a way to see me fail once again or to…no, that was the only explanation I could possibly think of.

I stared at Forbes a bit longer, before twisting my mouth up into an attempted smile, but it probably ended up appearing like a grimace. "Of course, _Major_." I growled, positioning myself to slide off of the saddle. I peered down towards the ground, attempting to estimate the fall to the ground. Charlie glanced at me a bit guiltily before stepping towards me, both hands outstretched in an awkward offer to help.

"Miss DeWolfe, do you need any assistance?" he asked politely. Forbes had also started towards me, somewhat startled that I was going to attempt to get off of the saddle by myself. I took a deep breath, shut my eyes tightly, and jumped, just as a startled voice exclaimed, "Miss DeWolfe!"

My feet slammed against the ground, jolting my body in shock. The whole surprise of my soles hitting the rock-hard dirt caused my eyes to fly open. Pain shot up my spine, and I gasped. My legs suddenly felt like jelly and I lost my balance. I stumbled backwards, falling into someone, who gripped my arm until I had steadied myself.

My eyes landed on Forbes, who was standing oddly stiff and straight. My sight then shifted to the left, on Charlie, who was looking down nervously. It was then that I realized that I was still in the grip of whoever was holding me, and I immediately wrenched away. A pit was forming in the bottom of my stomach as I slowly turned around to face Robert. He didn't seem _angry_, exactly. He just seemed a bit rigid.

"Are you all right?" he asked softly, placing his hands behind his back. I nodded, feeling my own spine straighten out tensely. _Oh God, he's going to yell at me, isn't he?_

Forbes and Charlie were watching quietly before Robert turned onto the second man. "I take it that you haven't relayed the message yet?" He said icily, his composure completely changing. Forbes rolled his eyes, and I sighed.

"Of course," Charlie said edgily. "Colonel Shaw would like you to show Miss DeWolfe where she will be staying."

Forbes snorted again. "Ah, yes, because she will be sleeping in a bloody palace along with the rest of us, isn't she?" The sarcasm was dripping from his voice. Charlie chuckled a bit at this until Robert silenced him with a glare.

"We could do without the sarcasm, Major Forbes." Robert snapped, causing Forbes to blink. He opened his mouth to retort, but closed it on a second thought. "Just make sure she is aware about the living arrangements, all right?" Robert continued. Forbes nodded curtly, giving Robert a salute before turning on his heel and motioning for me to follow. He was muttering under his breath while we trudged through the mud and dirt. I practically had to jog in order to keep up with the much taller man.

"He could have told us himself, rather than have Charlie 'relay the message.'" Forbes complained bitterly once we were out of earshot. "Who does he think he is?"

"Forbes?" I panted, trying desperately to stay in step with him. "Forbes, he's the colonel."

Forbes let out a noise that sounded much like a feral dog. I opened my mouth to beg him to slow down a little, when my foot caught on a little dip in the ground and I flew forward. My face hit the muck, giving me the unpleasant taste of dirt on my tongue. I slowly lifted my face from the earth, Forbes' hearty laugh meeting my ears. My arms propped myself up and I glared at him, my stomach still against the soil. He actually sat down beside me, he was laughing so hard.

"My God, Princess!" He finally managed to gasp out, clutching his sides. I sat up, crossing my legs Indian-style. "You have the absolute worst coordination of anyone I know!"

I scowled. "Well, I'm happy I was able to cheer you up." I snapped sarcastically. Forbes was still guffawing loudly and a bit obnoxiously, so I shoved him playfully so he would shut up.

"You're such a gentleman, Forbes," I deadpanned, hoisting myself to my feet and brushing off the dust particles on my dress. Still chuckling, he stood up also, shaking his head in disbelief. Then, he took off again, this time much slower so that I wouldn't fall again.

"And you're such a lady." He replied. I blinked a little. _Touché. _

We finally stopped at a long house-like building with a porch. Forbes went up the steps, and we ducked inside of a door. Several officers were inside of it already, and they glanced up when we entered. I didn't recognize a single face.

"These are your roommates, Princess." Forbes motioned towards all the men, smirking a little at my horrified expression. I blinked a little, feeling a blush color my cheeks. Leaning towards Forbes so that the others couldn't hear, I whispered, "You're not serious, are you?"

"What exactly did you expect?" Forbes tilted his head, giving the impression of someone truly interested in what I had to say. There was a playful flicker in his eye, and I knew that he would tease me as soon as I replied.

"I didn't expect to have to have to bunk with all of these men." I replied heatedly. I honestly didn't know _what _I expected; I just knew that it wasn't this.

"You're the only woman in the entire regiment." Forbes pointed out quietly, turning so his back was facing the others. They didn't seem to care much that they weren't included in the conversation. "Did you really think that you would have a whole mansion to yourself?"

"Of course not, Forbes. I'm not that thick." I hissed. "I don't trust…them." It was true enough; I didn't really trust anyone in the regiment yet. Forbes was well on his way to gaining my faith, and even Robert was almost on his way there. The only one who I even remotely could rely on was Miracle, and she was a _horse _for God's sake.

"I'll be here too, you know." Forbes said, seeming a bit hurt. "Do you really think I would let any of them do something to you?"

"I've known you for about a day and a half, Forbes." I replied. "In that day and a half, you allowed me to fall off of my horse – by your own hand, mind you – and you laughed at me when I fell down a mere five minutes before this."

"That was all in good fun." Forbes retorted, taking off his kepi and running his hand through his hair. "I promise that I will not let any of these men hurt you." I must have seemed a little wary, because he looked me straight in the eye and repeated softly, "I promise."

He did seem sincere enough, and I knew that he wouldn't allow me to seriously get hurt. I still didn't completely trust him, though, but for his sake I said, "All right."

"Good." Forbes replaced his kepi on his head in satisfaction. "You really don't have anything to worry about, though. Robert would honestly kill me if I let anything happen to you. It's apparently not gentlemanly to intentionally harm a woman."

"That's a comforting thought," I whispered.

"I suppose." Forbes said slowly, glancing at me. "You just have to remember that some of these men weren't raised the way we were. Some men – right here in this regiment, too – don't care about being a gentleman. Not here, at least."

He paused a bit before continuing. "Its war, you know, and gentlemen are not rewarded kindly here."

"So what am I supposed to do? Am I supposed to run away because a few men are going to harass me?" I asked, my voice cracking. Forbes glanced over his shoulder at the other men; some of whom were scowling at me and others who looked like they really couldn't care less. "Goddamn it, Forbes, I don't have anywhere else to go." I said softly. Forbes gave me a sad look, shaking his head a little.

"I know." He finally whispered. "I know."

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><p><strong>author's note: thank you to those who reviewed! i shall give the four of you who <em>do <em>review a chance to join my super exclusive club that is only for people who read and review this story! yeah! ****does anyone have any suggestions on getting more reviews, though? just asking. :D**

**soooo, what was your guys' favorite parts/lines? hmmmm?**

**review, please. :D**


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